{"id":13736,"date":"2026-06-19T09:14:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T07:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tdh-valais.ch\/article\/ces-benevoles-qui-font-battre-le-coeur-de-la-maison\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T16:34:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T14:34:16","slug":"the-volunteers-who-keep-la-maison-s-heart-beating","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.tdh-valais.ch\/en\/article\/the-volunteers-who-keep-la-maison-s-heart-beating\/","title":{"rendered":"The volunteers who keep La Maison\u2019s heart beating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The quiet strength of those who give selflessly<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Every year, La Maison welcomes nearly 180 seriously ill children, mainly from Africa, to receive essential care that is unavailable in their home countries. Such a mission could not exist without the enthusiasm and loyalty of the man<\/strong>y volunteers<\/a> who support it. Some look after the children on a daily basis. Others organise charity events that ensure this work can continue in the long term<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Valais, as well as in other regions of Switzerland such as<\/strong> Schwyz<\/a> and L\u00e4ngis, groups are rallying in support of La Maison, driven by the same conviction: what they receive often goes far beyond what they came to give. Because volunteering not only transforms destinies; it also transforms the men and women who choose to get involved<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Val\u00e9rie Pellissier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A meeting that changes everything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Massongex, everything often starts around a conversation, or in those little details that sometimes guide a path. Amanda Cotter, then a student in children\u2019s rights, discovered La Maison through a simple leaflet she spotted in a corridor. A discreet invitation led her to walk through its doors as a trainee educator, without yet realising just how profoundly this immersion would affect her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very quickly, a deep bond formed, both with the young residents – who had been taken in far from their families to receive specialist medical care \u2013 and with this unique world that she came to understand as the days went by. Amanda shares their daily lives, becoming a reassuring presence for them during a time marked by separation and illness. What strikes her is their ability to adapt, to keep going despite everything, with a quiet strength in the face of trials that few adults could bear. She learns to be there for them, fully, without always being able to fix things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From this experience, what she takes away above all is the human side: \u201cThe encounters, the bonds that are forged\u2026 and that strong sense of working together for a cause that is so close to our hearts\u201d, she says with conviction. Over the years, she has also become involved at an institutional level, as a member of the Foundation Board. Today, her commitment continues in a different way, as part of the Valais volunteers\u2019 committee. Fifteen years on, she is still there, haunted by the faces and stories that have left their mark on her. And since she became a mom, that feeling has grown even stronger, as if time has given the journey she has taken a new resonance.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"At
At the Foire du Valais, on La Maison\u2019s stand, Amanda\u2019s commitment is a family affair.<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A presence that makes a difference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Alongside Amanda, Georges-Alain Claret is wholeheartedly committed to organising bingo games, setting up events and running stalls in support of La Maison. These roles are sometimes behind the scenes, but they are essential, contributing directly to raising the profile of the organisation\u2019s mission. \u201cBeing a volunteer is, above all, being a link in a wonderful chain of solidarity that, in practical terms, saves lives\u201d, he says enthusiastically. \u201cMy first visit to La Maison still sticks in my memory. Behind the smiles lies the reality of the illness. Everything then takes on a different dimension, and you fully understand the meaning of this commitment\u201d, he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Georges-Alain,
Georges-Alain, alongside Exauce, in the simplicity of a playful moment.<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cMy first visit to La Maison still sticks in my memory. Behind the smiles lies the reality of the illness. Everything then takes on a different dimension, and you fully understand the meaning of this commitment.\u201d<\/strong>

Georges-Alain Claret, member of the Valais volunteers committee<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The same drive over the years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Elisabeth Lehmann, it all began almost by chance, at the \u201cFoire du Valais\u201d. Having recently retired, she stopped at La Maison\u2019s stand, run by volunteers, drawn to it without really knowing why. It was then that it became clear: this was the right moment. Fifteen years have passed, and she continues to coordinate up to fifty volunteers at this event with the same dedication. It is a responsibility she takes on with unwavering energy, fuelled by the relationships she has built up over the years. What she remembers most of all are the faces: those of the children, of course, but also those of the volunteers and the teams at La Maison, with whom she shares a genuine bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout her career, she also discovered the role of escort, which involves accompanying children between their country of origin, the airport and Swiss hospitals. It was an experience that stays with her. \u201cThese children would cling to me with immediate trust, seeking a point of reference in a world that was foreign to them\u201d, she says. Each journey then becomes a moment filled with humanity, made of laughs, new discoveries, but also, sometimes, with difficult separations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even today, Elisabeth continues her work with the same conviction: every gesture, however small, has its place and contributes to what really matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving meaning, together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Carlo Carletti, chair of the Schwyz volunteers group supporting La Maison, it all starts with an intimate experience: that of a parent facing illness. Accompanying his own child to the operating room leaves an indelible mark. Very quickly, taking action became a necessity \u2013 not only to move forward, but also, in his own way, to say thank you. Together with his team, he organises events that bring people together: a sponsored cross-country ski race, a Christmas market and a charity trail run. But beyond the organisation itself, what moves him most are those moments when everyone gives their best for a cause that transcends them. He remembers those young people completing lap after lap on their skis, driven by a palpable collective energy. And that simple, spontaneous question that always comes up at the end: \u2018Shall we do it again?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this shared mobilization, he finds what gives meaning to his involvement: \u201cFeeling useful, in the right place, and being able to contribute to something greater than oneself\u201d, he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cFeeling useful, in the right place, and being able to contribute to something greater than oneself.\u201d<\/strong>

Carlo Carletti, chair of the Schwyz volunteers group<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The power of community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In L\u00e4ngis, this commitment is lived out with the same intensity. Mariella Peter is helping to organise a cross-country ski race, held exclusively in aid of La Maison and its mission with sick children, alongside a close-knit team. Here, everyone naturally finds their place within a well-oiled system where every detail counts. These are those repeated, often invisible gestures that give the whole endeavour its coherence and strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What particularly strikes her are those moments when participants take the time to thank the volunteers, sometimes with a very personal sincerity. It is an unexpected gesture of appreciation, which serves as a reminder that the spirit of generosity flows both ways. \u201cYou get this sense of belonging to a shared movement, where small actions, carried out together, take on a whole new dimension\u201d, she says with a smile. Over the years, this race has become a firmly established event in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving and receiving, without expecting anything in return<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The volunteers talk about meetingss, usefulness, meaning. But behind these words unfolds an even more intimate reality, one that is experienced more than it is told.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At La Maison, volunteering is characterised by discretion and consistency, by those simple, repeated attentions which, when added together, change lives. In every moment spent there, in every glance, with every child, something takes shape. A bond, often invisible, but fundamental.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Georges-Alain,
Georges-Alain, Elisabeth and Amanda, surrounded by some of the young residents, in the gardens of La Maison.<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

These big-hearted volunteers give their time generously. And they usually leave transformed, enriched by far more than what they came to offer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if, in turn, you joined this engaged community? At La Maison, every presence counts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Find out more about volunteering opportunities<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Pass the baton<\/strong><\/strong>

Over time, some journeys come to an end to make way for new energy. Such is the life of a community, sustained by those who commit to it, each in their own way.

Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Nouchi and Isabelle Savarelli have recently stepped down from the Valais volunteers\u2019 committee. Through their loyal presence, their constant dedication and their sense of community, they have contributed, day after day, to keeping this chain of solidarity alive.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to them. For the time they gave, for the inspiration they provided, and for their generosity, often shown in quiet ways. Their time with us has left a lasting mark on the life of La Maison and on the journey of many children.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

La Maison\u2019s mission could not exist without the enthusiasm and loyalty of the many volunteers who support it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":13547,"template":"","class_list":["post-13736","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe volunteers who keep La Maison\u2019s heart beating<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"La Maison\u2019s mission could not exist without the enthusiasm and loyalty of the many volunteers who support it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tdh-valais.ch\/en\/article\/the-volunteers-who-keep-la-maison-s-heart-beating\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The volunteers who keep La Maison\u2019s heart beating\" \/>\n<meta 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